Other forms: terrorists
A terrorist is somebody who uses violence against civilians for political ends. A terrorist attack, convicted terrorist, terrorist group.
The targeting of civilians to create fear is what most legal definitions turn on. The label carries enormous weight and is contested in practice, because governments apply it to their opponents and rarely to themselves. It first appeared in 1794 for the state terror of the French Revolution.
1nounterroristSomebody who uses violence against civilians for political ends.
“The terrorists planted a bomb at the railway station.”
terrorist is a person.
From French terroriste, coined in 1794 for the agents of the Terror in the French Revolution, from Latin terrere, to frighten.
French
terroriste
English, today
terrorist
From terror + -ist. In the historical sense, after French terroriste. First used in 1794 in the Courier and Evening Gazette.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA